AN GAOḊAL.
65
ḃreiṫeaṁ; tá mise measta mo claḋair¬
e. Ii fear ṫusa ; is fear mise mar an
g-ceudna ; le iompoġaḋ cúṁaċda b'ḟéi-
dir go n-aṫróċaḋ sinn áitiḃ, giḋ ní ḟeud¬
ócamuis clú aṫruġaḋ ċoiḋċe. Má
ṡeasaim aig barra na cúrta
seo agus naċ féidir liom mo
ċlú ċosnaḋ, cia 'n t-áḋḃar magaḋ ḃur
g-ceart: má ṡeasaim aig bara na cúr-
ta so agus nach d-tig liom mo ṫaisteas
a ċeartuġaḋ, cia 'n fáṫ a míoċlúḋann
tú é? An ḃreiṫ ḃáis a ċuireas ḃur 'n
glioca mallaiġṫe air mo ċolain, g-coisg¬
eann sé mo ṫeanga agus a masluiġeann
se mo ṫeastas mar an g-ceudnaḋ?
"THEN, AND NOT UNTIL THEN."
By P. M. TRAHEY,
of the New York S. P. I. L
Concluded in our next.
When Greece fell before the conquering legion
of Rome, and after the down fall of the latter and
subsequent dismemberment, the Empire of the
East became the prey of the savage hordes of Islam.
There was one thing or a number of things, em-
bodied in the one fact, which saved her from total
annihilation as a people and extinction as a race.
Though for nearly 400 years a province of and
groaning under the cruel and fanatic sway of bar-
barous rulers, the Turks. There were cer-
tain conditions of race, religion and philology
which through all that time acted as an ineffacable
barrier to the assimilatfon of the two races. Moh¬
amedan customs, habits, general laws and govern¬
ment were introduced into the conquered country
as far as it was practicable. The amalgamation of
the two races would have been only a matter of
time, were it not for the inherent and preponderant
superiorits of the Greek race, over the correspond-
ing barbarism of the Turks. Although at that time
some of the excellence of race and superiority of
civilization, that in ancient days had made Gracia
so famous were gone from her, enough remained to
combat the semi-civilized and semi barbarous in-
fluence of the Ottomans. Her decadence was not
so much in moral as it was in political power, and
it was not until time went by, that younger and
freer nations soared to the height in Arts and Sci-
ences which in former times she had been preemi-
nent. Her moral grandeur, history, literature and
language were part and parcel of the Greek people.
It was individuality itself with them, which thus
prevented that union or blending of race which we
see taking effect between Hungary and Austria,
had the same result been obtained in the case of
Greece, History would have had a different and
brighter page to record of the Byzantine Empire
to-day. It is obvious therefore had she succumbed
to Islamitic influence there would have been no
Greek nation to-day. More than than that ; it
would be safe to assume that nine-tenths of her
history, literature and sacred traditions would be
lost to the world, through the bigotry and ignor¬
ance of their barbarian masters, as completely as
was the loss suffered by her western compeer. Hi-
bernia, through the iconoclastic spirit which per-
vaded the latter ignorant invaders. In the home
struggle for freedom which ended so auspiciously
for her in 1830, Greece had with her the moral sym¬
pathy of Europe, although there may be good
grounds to doubt if the leaning for her was based
entirely on pure sympathy and justice. In some
cases practical assistance was given ; but with all
the necessary aid and sympathy rendered, without
that unity of purpose, of religion of race and lan¬
guage, without all these things that constitute a
nation, and without which it is a mere cypher or
empty name, Greece would have fallen, and falling
thus would never have the power to rise again. What
a lesson there is in that for Ireland! What a glo-
rious precedent to follow! Or wanting that unity
of things which Greece possessed, what a gloomy
fate to shun! At this time when Ireland is agitated
to her very center by repression, when her people
are in the throes of doubt and uncertainty, the
natural result of a new era in their history which
may ultimately bring them to a sense of their rights
and finally to assert them ; her fitness and condi¬
tion to cope with the powers that are, should be
of the most earnest solicitude to all liberty loving
Irishmen. That she is not at present girded for
such a contest no one viewing the “status in quo"
in the calm light of reason will for a moment gain
say, notwithstanding the cry patriotic or well
meaning enthuziasts may raise. And now it might
not be amiss to reiterate here, what we have so
often endeavored to impress upon Irishmen, the
necessity of ridding tnemselves of that permeating
and life-destroying influence of English customs
habits, manners and speech, that rests upon them
like an incubus ; and until the riddance of which
there can be no hope for the freedom of hapless
Erin, much as bayonet, cannon or talk may do.
Had Greece succumbed to Turkish influence with
the same blinduess to its danger that we see Ire¬
land doing to-day to England, there would have
been little effort and less inclination to throw off
the galling, yet to them pleasant, yoke of their
masters. From the invasion of Ireland towards the
latter part of the twelfth century, when unjust, in-
human and atrocious laws endeavored to blot out
of existence the name and race of Irishmen, the
language and customs of the Celt flourished in
spite of all.
